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Topic: best first WI 4 in greater north conway? (Read 3990 times)

my attitude about placing screws on hard climbs is, "I sewed it up, because I can!" many times you see folks run it out because they are too pumped to place. there are lots of ways to avoid pumping out and not being able to place:

1: place at a stance if at all possible. if not, extend your arm that you are not using to place the screw and "hang" on your skeleton, not on your biceps.

2: slam in a your tool and loop the rope over the head of the pick. don't necessarily hang on it, but use it to give yourself a breather to run in that screw.

3: if you get in a screw and you're totally pumped, hang on the screw until you recover. you get no points if you fall!

4: stem absolutely everywhere possible. my partners are always surprised at how many places I can find to stem, even when it looks to be dead-on vertical or even overhanging.

5: climb leashless... you waste a lot more strength getting in and out of the leashes than you do holding on to a leashless tool. this goes for both leaders and seconds. you also open up the ability to move from side to side simply by swapping hands on a tool.

there's more, but these are the things I can think of right off the bat.

DLottmann

...2: slam in a your tool and loop the rope over the head of the pick. don't necessarily hang on it, but use it to give yourself a breather to run in that screw....

Fully agree on all points Al made (especially #5) except #2. This I think is way dangerous since you are;

1) Running the rope over a sharp edge... the top of my picks are filed for easier cleaning, while it might not slice cleanly though the rope a loaded fall would skin the sheath off your rope, and that would scare the piss out of me...

2) You've just added 5+ feet to your fall if you do come off... place the screw at your waist, clip at your waist = shorter fall if you do blow it... I actually was surprised to hear that is common sport climbing practice to... clip at your waist, yarding up two armfuls of slack = much longer whip... Exception would be great stance before cruxy moves with a sharp screw you can place over-head...

My attitude is that the leader is leading, he/she can put in as much stuff as they want, and is answerable to no one but themselves. That said, I see no point in sewing up ice climbs. If you fall on ice, no matter how short the fall, there is an elevated probability that you will get hurt. As an example, although it is a miniscule sample set, I've taken ~5 lead falls on ice in 30 years, smashing my right tib/fib on one. That's a 20% chance of getting hurt; those are terrible odds. (Does give you an opportunity for practicing new contortions as you try to cradle and protect your leg without looking at it as you're lowered 80' to the ground because the boot and ankle are dangling at 90 degrees from the rest of the leg. I was even luckier than the guy in the video though, there was an orthopedic surgeon climbing the adjoining route! But I digress...) Don't fall. Given that the screws' real purpose is not to prevent injury, which is a crap shoot anyway, but just to stave off catastrophe, there is no point in sewing it up. I'm blissfully happy with 4- 5 screws in Dracula or a similar climb. Others may require more happiness, and that's cool, but I question what they gain. And there is a cost.Al: A subtlety on stances that I've noticed in the last few years. On very steep/vertical ice you'd love to stand at a little break, but the ice is so steep it pushes you out and you realize little real comfort and relaxation. These days I'll usually stop with the break about waist high, because now that slight break allows you to lean forward and get good balance and you're not 'hanging' off of your tool to speak of, now it's really just for balance. Plus, these breaks typically have the best ice for screws, and because you are leaning forward and are truly over your feet, you can get more leverage on the screw. Wonder if anyone else finds they are doing this.BTW, on item #5: Screw leashless.

The whole flipping the rope over the tool trick always freaked me out. More rope out and a greater chance of levering the tool and makeing it pop out. The better method is to be aware of your strength reservs. place that screw before you get low enough on gas that placeing the screw is going to be a problem. If you are gassed when you get the screw in and there is not a good rest coming up then by all means take a hang. Do not climb blindly into a pump on a wing and a prayer that you will be able to pull it off. That dracula falling video is the perfect example of what will happen....

Back in the day of snargs and Chouinard screws I used to climb steep ice with a biner through the spike hole on the hammer. I'd plant that good and clip the rope for assisted mind control while straight arming from the other tool and using the third one to actually place the gear. I mean, I'm carrying the damn thing. Got pretty darn efficient at it.

BINTD of Snargs and chiounard screws that you had to hammer to get started I also clipped the BOTTOM of the tool on steep ice. Totally different dynamics than flipping the rope over the top of the tool.

actually Tomcat's suggestion of Goofer's is right on. it's at least 3+ and no throwaway. and frankly right now you can make it darn close to a 4 if you choose all the steepest lines. another similar one is Bob's. it can really be pretty hard if you choose the steep lines.

Thanks for all the suggestions! I led Goofers last season and agree it is stiff for the grade, but an awesome climb. I'm headed up next week and thinking I need to tick off Smear, Pegasus, and Chia first, then maybe the left side of Dracula or Bob's if it's in.

I'm also really interested in the rock finish on Pegasus. Climb the pillars, rap down, lead the rock pitch. Good move or waste of time?

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DLottmann

Smear is no gimmie either... but definitely do both Pegasus Rock Finish and the pillars... if it was me I would do rock finish (via Hobbit Coulior), then the regular finish... Chia has plenty of Grade 4 options on it...